Teaching Artists Core Competencies

Professional teaching artists are qualified to conduct in-depth, standards-based fine arts and arts integration residencies in educational settings and to present professional development workshops for teachers.

Teaching Artist Core Competencies

(Courtesy of Young Audiences)

Artistry

Teaching artist displays a body of artistic work that is acknowledged and respected within the artist’s discipline and demonstrates continued artistic and professional achievement.

Continued Creation in Art Form: Artist is currently planning or working on at least one artistic project, beyond their teaching artist practice.
Application of Artistic Process: Artist directly applies their artistic process to their teaching artist practice.

Planning and Preparation

Teaching artist fosters an environment that supports student-centered learning through the processes outlined in the National Core Arts Standards: Creating; Performing, Presenting, Producing; Responding; Connecting.

Student/Youth Development: Residency plan addresses age-specific domains of development (e.g., cognitive, physical, social and emotional) and cultural backgrounds of learners.
Alignment to Standards: Residency plan provides evidence of an developmentally appropriate connection with State Common Core Standards.
Professional Collaboration: Residency plan defines roles and responsibilities for both teaching artist and classroom teacher, before, during, and after instruction.
Outcomes + Assessment: Residency plan articulates desired or expected learner outcomes along with methods that teaching artist will use to assess learning during the lesson.
Teaching Artist Self-Reflection: Reflects on the lesson to assess participation, understanding, and plan next steps; Reflects with teacher, and engages in self-reflection after residency.

Instruction

Teaching artist displays proficiency in designing developmentally appropriate residency plans in alignment with State Standards.

Variety of Instructional Strategies: Teaching artist employs their art to engage and instruct students through visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, and other modalities.
Learning Environment: Teaching artist organizes a positive learning environment (students, materials, time, space, etc.) to advance student learning.
Student-Centered Instruction: Teaching artist prioritizes student-centered instruction and creates opportunities for students to practice personal choice.
Assessment: Teaching artist assesses student learning according to content standards and lesson plan objectives; Employs a range of methods to assess student learning; Modifies instruction as necessary, based on assessment results.

Community

Teaching artist demonstrates community-mindedness, respect for and awareness of differences in others, and an attitude of service as an ambassador of arts education in their community.

Community-Mindedness: Teaching artist maintains positive relationships with all residency and program stakeholders; Conveys the highest aims and interests of the AITS program; Shares the program aims and residency content with the whole school community; Makes connections between the school community and the wider artistic community beyond the school.
Professionalism: Teaching artist presents self in accordance with the codes of conduct followed by school professionals; Collaborates effectively with students, teachers, school administrators, parents, and program staff to execute a successful residency; Facilitates and maintains open, clear, consistent, and timely two-way communication (verbal, written, and digital) with the school and program staff; Takes full responsibility for obtaining and maintaining any documentation, permissions, or materials that pertain to their residency.
Commitment to Educational Equity: Teaching artist demonstrates commitment to advancing educational equity for all students; Respect for individual differences in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, ability, nationality, etc.
Advocacy: Teaching artist promotes the importance of the arts and arts education within residency site schools, and in all communities they serve.

About the Core Competencies

Young Audiences Arts for Learning’s National Residency Teaching Artist Credential (TAC) articulates what effective, high quality teaching artistry looks like in K-12 school-based residencies, and formally endorses exceptional teaching artists who embody excellence in four competency areas: Artistry, Instruction, Planning & Preparation, and Community. For more information, visit www.YoungAudiences.org/TAC